The Ministry of Finance has stated that the creation of a postal bank, or strengthening the Tunisian Post’s participation in the capital of an existing bank, remains a strategic choice that cannot be decided within the framework of the bill relating to the fight against financial exclusion. The ministry stressed that this orientation requires a thorough study of the various legal, economic, and financial aspects, as well as broad consensus among the different parties involved, in order to ensure its success and to achieve the expected objectives.
This clarification was provided during a hearing session held by the Finance and Budget Committee of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, devoted to examining the bill on the fight against financial exclusion. The proposal to create a postal bank occupied an important place in the debates between deputies and representatives of the Ministry of Finance.
Several deputies argued that the network of post offices, present in the various regions of the country, constitutes a national asset that could be leveraged to support financial inclusion by making banking services closer to citizens, especially in inland regions, and by enabling small and medium enterprises to access credit under favorable terms. They also mentioned the development of savings and digital payment services, aimed at energizing economic activity and reducing regional disparities.
The deputies considered that the integration of a specific chapter devoted to the postal bank into the bill would open new perspectives for the development of the national financial system and would allow leveraging the capabilities offered by the Tunisian Post to bring financial services closer to citizens and broaden the base of their beneficiaries.
However, representatives of the Ministry of Finance explained that the current bill is part of a broader reform process and cannot, on its own, address all the structural reforms of the financial and banking sectors.
They stated that the Tunisian Post already plays a central role within the national financial system. However, any decision regarding the creation of a postal bank or the expansion of its role in the banking field requires a comprehensive assessment and a precise study of its various implications before any decision is made in the matter.
